Filling-feeler mechanism.



I. NORTHROP.

FILLING FEELER MECHANISM. APPLICATION FILED HAY 6. |916.

1,249,281; Famed uw. 41,19114 UNITED STATES 4IjaurisNT OFFICE.

J'iONAS NOBTHBOP, 0F HOPEDLE, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO HOPDALE MANU- FACTUBDQ'G COMPANY, 0F MILFOBD, M

CBUBETTS.

ASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION F lYIASSA FILLING-FEELER MECHANISM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 4,1917.

Application filed May 6,1916. SeriaI No. 95,925.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Jonas Non'rnnor, a citizen of the United States, residing at Hopedale, in the county of Worcester and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain newand useful Improvement-s in Filling-Feeler Mechanisms; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and

l y exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

The present invention relates to an improvement in filling feeler mechanisms for looms.

One object of the present invention is to reorganize the construction of filling feeler mechanisms in order to produce a novel and simple kform of filling feeler mechanism capable ofrdetermining critical or predetermined ezgla'austion of filling and causing ally the filling vkcarriers to be unwound or exhausted uniformly regardless of variations in their sizes and regardless of whether they end of a loom showing the application o `are obliquely positioned in the shuttle.

A further object of the invention is to produce a filling feeler mechanism in which the filling 'feeling member orfeeler is provided with filling engaging teeth of a novel construction, by virtue of which the filling on that part ofthe filling carrier opposite the feeler may be entirelv unwound or",ex

hausted, or any desired numbers of layers of filling strands may be left thereon.

Whether the filling engaging teeth shall perform the one mode of operation or the other is determined and controlled by the adjustment of the feeler relatively to the filling carrier. To the accomplishment of these objects 'the invention consists in the improved filling feeler mechanism hereinafterdescribed and particularly pointed out inthe claims. l

, In the accompanying drawings illustrating' the preferred form of the invention, Figure 1 is a planview of the filling feelin the improved fillingfeeler mechanism thereto; Fig. 2 is a detail planshowin ,the positions of the parts of the fillin eeler upon predetermined exhaustion of ling; Fig. 3 is a section taken on lthe longitudinal axis and its support; and filling of the filling feeler Fig. 4 isan enlarged detail ofthe feeling end of the feeler.

from. A-collar 29, surrounding the upper The loom to which the improved filling feeler mechanism "is applied may be of any usual or preferred construction, and may be either a plain loom, or a weft replenishing loom. 1f applied to a plain loom, the lling 4 feeler mechanism operates upon critical orpredetermined exhaustion of filling to cause loom stoppage; and if applied to a weft replenishing loom,thc filling feeler mechanism usually operates, upon critical exhaustion of filling, to cause the insertion of a fresh supply of filling in the shuttle. The loom illustrated in the drawings comprises a breast beam 10,(a rocker change shaft 11 extending transwn'sely of the loom and journaled in brackets secured to the front thereof, a weft hammer 12, mounted for oscillatory movements under the fillingfork 13, ayl'ay 14, supported for movements toward and from the breasty beam in timed relation with the reciprocations of the weft hammer, a shuttle 15 having the usual slot 16 in its front wall, and a filling carrier 17 held inthe shuttle by the shuttle springs 18. If thefilling feeler mechanism is applied =to a plain loom, the change shaft is connected vat the filling feeling end of the loom with loom stopping de- Y vices; and if the filling feeler mechanism 1s applied to a 'weft replenishing loom, the

change shaft is connected at the end ofthe and slot connections to another brac et 25 f fastened to the breast beam. By 'means of,

these connections the operative positionof the feeler `2O 'may be adjusted longitudinally` and transversely, and so, obli uely, relatively to the filling carrier.- The eeler is provided with a Aslot 27 formed longitudinally of its length, the forward end of which engages a guide pin 28 fixed in the feeleraplate 21 and rising vertically thereend of thepin, prevents the vertical 1sat right angles to the filling i-the feeler is in normal pcsitlon. This line,

- placement of theI feeler. A contractile end of the feeler and the other end of which 5 is secured to the guide pin 28, tends to hold the feeler toward the filling carrier, as shown in Fig. l this beinV the normal position of the fee er. Whi e the feeler 1s in this position, a shoulder 33, projectin laterally from the lethand side of the eeler, is in engagement with a stoppin 34 rising from the feeler plate, and an Aarm 35, projecting laterally from the right-hand side of the feeler, is in engagement with a second stop pin 36 risin vertically from an exy tension 37 of the fee er late.

`It will be observed t at the rearmost or filling feeling end of the feeler lies in a line drawn through the guide pin and disposed carrier while then, is parallel to the reciprocations of the lay. It will be further observed that the strain of the contractile spring 30 lies along an extension of this line. Consequently, the spring 30 has no tendenc to turnthe feeler about the guide pimfllien the filling carrier strikes the feeler on the filling. feeling beat Aof the lay, this beat of the lay taking place when the shuttle is boxed at that end of the lay oppositethefilling feeler mechanism; the ressure of the filling carrier against the eeler pushes it straight forward. Y-The'pressure of the fillin carrler upon the no tendency to turn the feeler about the guide pin. Accordingl means, exclusive both of the ressure o the filling carrier upon the fee er and of the, strain of the spring 30 upon the feeler, must be employed in order to give the feeler a pivotal movement, that is, a filling feeling movement.

The filling feeler mechanism is connected with the rock or change shaftll through loom controlling devices comprising an arm 38, fixed lto the change shaft and projecting upwirdly therefrom, a lever 39, pivoted at the upper end of the arm 38, and a latch le-A ver 40 pivoted on a vertical pin 41 fixed in the rearward end of the lever 39. The connections between the fillin feeler mechanism and'the loom controlllng devices consist of a link 42, the left-hand end of which is received in an open slot 43 in the forward end of the feeler, the right-hand end of the link being loosely received in a hole in the head of an adjustment screw 44 threaded in theforward end of the latch lever 40. By disconnecting the link from the slot 43 and turnin 'the screw in the latch lever, .the interre ation of the feeler and the latch lever may be adjusted. Upon critical exhaustion of filling. a notch 45, formed on the rear-` mostend of the latch lever, is adapted to be engaged by a bunter 46 secured to the weft filling feeling end of the eeler has therefore ward the butt of the hammer 12, and to be pushed forward by it, thereby oscillating the change shaft to stop the loom or to set in operation the weftreplenishing mechanism. A lightly tensioned compresslon sprin 47, interposed between the rearmost end o the lever 39 and the adjacent side of the rearward end of the latch lever, tends to swing the notch bearing end of the latch lever into the path of motion of the bunter. The operative position of the latch lever is determined bythe engagement of a stop lug 48 rojectin laterally from the forward end of) the latc lever, with the adjacent side of the lever 39. It will be observed that, by reason of the engagement of the arm 35 w1th the stop pin 36, while the feeler is in normal osition, a pull of 4considerable force may exerted upon the link 42 in a right-hand direction without swinging the feeler about its lide pin. But when on the forward beat o the 'lay and the engagement of the filling with the filling feeling end of the feeler, the feeler is moved forward out of engagement with its stop pins,

the compression ring 47, acting through the latch lever an? the link, tends to swing the feeler about its guide pin so as to 'move the filling feelin end of the feeler toward the butt of the llin carrier in its filling feeling movement. go long as the filling has not been exhausted to a predetermined extent, the coperation of the' filling with the filling engaging teeth (with whlch the filling feeling end of the feeler is rovided) prevents this pivotal movement of tv Ve-jeeler; and consequently .prevents the notch hearing. end of the latch lever from moving into the path of motion of the bunter. When the filling has been critically exhausted, however, the compression spring 47 is permitted to swing the filling feelin' end of the feeler tolling carrier and to swing the notched end of' the latch lever into the path of the bunter 46.

U on the rearmost or filling feeling end of t e feeler are formed filhng engaing teeth. By an inspection of Fig. 4 it wi be seen that the individual teeth of the lefthand section 50 are acute angled, like the teeth of a rip saw, with their apexes'pointed leftwardly, that is, toward the' buttv of the filling carrier, and that the individual teeth of -the'right-hand section 51 are right or dull angled, like the teeth of a cross cut saw. The right-angled teeth 51 extend be ond the acute angled teeth 50 toward the fil ing carrier a. distance equal to the thickness of two ,or threestrands of filling. l'It is obviousl that if, during the'filling ing movement of the feeler toward the butt of the filling carrier, the acute angled teeth engage theA filling, the filling feeling movement will be arrested and that, on the contrary, the engagement of the right-angled teeth alone with the filling will not arrest the filling feeling movement of the feeler because these latter teeth will ride over the lling strands. It is apparent that acute angled teeth could be substltuted for and perform the function of the right-an led teeth if their apexes were directed toward the tip of the filling carrier.

By reason of the difference in form between the two sections of filling engaging teeth it is possible to secure a di erence of result in critically exhausting the filling. If it is desired to completely exhaust the filling from that part of the filling carrier opposlte the feeler, the feeler is adj usted so that the acute angled teeth are in alinement with (or project beyond) the right-angled teeth with ren spect to the filling carrier. But if it s'desix-,ed that a number of strands of filling should -be left on the lillingicarrier after critical exhaustion, the feeler will be adjustedso that the right-angled teeth extend toward the filling carrier beyond the acute angled teeth a distance equal to the thickness of the number of filling strands to bep left on the carrier.

The possibility of securing this diversity of result will be made clear from a consideraton of the mode of operation oftle filling feeler mechanism. Assluning tha complete exhaustion of the filling from that part of the filling carrier opposite the feeler is desired, leaving on the carrier ,onlyT the customary preliminary bunch of filling: To -secure this result the feeler is adjusted as described. On each'filling feeling beatv of the lay, and the consequent disengage- Inent ofthe feelerfrom its stop pins, the spring 47 tends to swing the feeler about its guide pin and thereby move the filling Vfeelin' end of the feeler toward the butt of the filling carrier. So long as the acute angled teeth `5() engage any filling, the filling feeling movement is-arrested, so that', before the feeler can have any lpivotal movement, the fillingori the carrier opposite the feeler must be'eompletely unwound, exposing the surface of the carrier. Then, as the filling continues to unwind, the spring 47.0auses the filling feeling end of the feeler to travel along the unwound surface of thecarrier towardthe carrier butt, and, at` thev same time, swings the notch 45 toward the path of motion of the bunter 46. These movements arer arrested by the engagement of the lacute angled 'teeth with. the end Winding of the filling until, finally, when `the filling has been unwound to4 a Vpredetermined point from the butt end of the filli` carrier,` the notch 45 isin the path.V of metion :ofthe bunter 'and the bunter on its forward beat pushes thelatclr lever forward andfis'etsin operation the lo'om controlling devices. l

Assumingfnow that it is desired to leave severalf-strgnds-'of filling on the` filling car? aul'dfbe'tlieicase if the carrier were j `outgfpreliminary bump,

the feeler is first adjusted so that the rightangled teeth 51 are advanced toward the filhng carrier beyond the acute angled teeth a distance equal to the thickness of the num- Jer of strands of filling it is desired should remain/ on the carrier. So long as more, strands of filling than the predetermined umber remain on the carrier, the acute angled teeth will engage them on the filling feeling beat of Ithe lay and revent the spring 47 from swinging the eeler about its guide in; but when 'the filling has become so ar exhausted that there remains on 'that part of the carrier opposite the feeler a thickness of fillingl equal to the difference in distance of the two sections ofhteeth from the carrier, the right-angled teeth will penetrate the mass of filling so as .to be struck by the filling carrier', and the acute angled i teeth will not engage any filling. Consequently, when the feeler is pushed forward by the carrier, the spring 47 will impart a filling feeling movement to the feeler to ward the butt of the carrier` the 1iglit:mgled teeth riding over the filling stra-nds, the light tension of the spring 30 readily permitting i this. riding action. As theI filling feeling end of the feeler moves towardthe butt "Gf the carrier, the end windings of tli'elilayers s'uperposed upon the predetermined number of filling layers are engaged by .the acute'v angled teeth and the filling feeling movement lis prevented until these superposed layers are unwound to a predetermined point from lfilling feeling operation; and for the sa1ne` reason an obliquelyV positioned filling carrier has no effect upon the accuracy in deter mining critical exhaustion of filling; so that filling carriersnregardless-of variations in size and` position, are exhausted until 'the filling on that part4 of the carrier opposite the feeler .has been unwound to a predeter* l mined extent, and that, thereafter, the filling is unwound until the filling engagii'iglend ofthe feeler reaches a predetermined point from the butt ofthe filling carrier.. `-It isthus seen that 4'all the filling carriers must be exhausted to a uniformand mined extent.

The novel form of fillin engaging teeth` l ,has been described as emp oyed in connection with a particular form of filling fee-lermechanism. It is obvious, however,' 4that these. filling engaging teeth may be 'applied to otherfflling 'feeler mechanisms.

. Having thus described the invention, what is clain'ied-isi l ,1., A leoni havingi. in combination,- loom controlling devices, and a filling feeler mechanism comprising a stationary support,` a feeler mounted directly upon thesupport for ivotal and reeiprocatory movements, means or imparting a reeiprocatory movement to the feeler in one direction, and connectionsv between the feeler and the loom controlling devices, said loom controlling devices'havving provision for imparting a pivotal move' ment to the feeler.

2. A loom having, in combination, ,a weft hammer, loom controlling devices, a latch lever connected therewith, a filling feeler mechanism comprising a fixed support, a fillin port aving pro'vision for reciprocatory and swinging movements relatively to the suport, means for yieldingly pressing the eeler toward the lay, a link connecting the feele'r with the latch lever, means tending to swing the feeler and the latch lever to i bring the latter into the path of the weft normally holding the feeler against the stop pins, and means tending to impart a pivotal movement? to the feeler, said stop pins being 'arranged to prevent the pivotal movement of the feeler so long asthe latter is not engaged-b the filling carrier.

4. A oom having, in combination, loom controlling devices, mechanism comprising a. feeler, a feelerv support, a guide pin fixed thereon for -guiding the movements-of the feeler, means for imparting. a reciprocatory movement to the ,feeler, and connections between lthe loom controlling devices and the feeler, said loom controlling devices h aving provision for imparting a pivotal movement to the feelei'.

5. A-loom havin ,in combination, a lay, a filling carrier, an a filling feeler mechanism comprisin a: stationary' support, a feeler `mounted irectly 'thereonfor reciprocatory.. andpivotal movements, vi'i'iearisi for irnparting a reciprocatory movement to the lf'eele'ixin one irect'ion, and means forimparting the pivotaltmovement to the feeler when fthe filling has been exhausted to` a ,predetermined extent,

6. A 100m having, in combination, a lay,

' alfilling carrier, and al filling feeler mecha- `\nism comprising a stationary support, a'

feeler mounted directly on the sup-I and a filling feeler,-

feeler mounted directly thereon for reciproatory and and arrange so that the pressure of the filling carrier upon it imparts only a reciprocatory movement to it and in one direction,

ivotal movements constructed means to impart a reciprocatory movement to the feeler in the opposite direction, and meansopei'ating when the filling has been exhausted to a predetermined extent to impart a pivotal movement to the feeler.

7. A loom having, in combination, a lay,

and pivotal movements relatively to the support and having provision for engaging the guide pin, means for normally holdin the feeler against the stop pins so that the lling feeling end of the feeler and the guide pin lie on a line parallel with the path of motion of the lay, and means operating on the filling feeling beat of the lay and on critical exhaustion of filling to impart a pivotal movement to the eelei, said stop pins preventing the pivotal' movement of the feeler until the engagement Sofi' the fillin with the feeler disengages the fee er from the stop pins.

-8, A loom having, in combination, a filling carrier, and a filling Yfeeler mechanism comprising a support, a feeler mounted thereon, means for imparting a filling feeling movement to the feeler, and two sections of filling engaging teeth on the feeler, one section of teeth being formedfor preventing the filling feeling movement of the feeler while it 1s in engagement with the filling, and thev other section o the teeth being formed to permit the filling feeling movement of the feeler while it is in engagement with the filling.

9. A loom having, in combination, a lay, a filling carrier, and a filling feeler mechanism comprising ar feeler, ',means for irnarting a filling feeling movement to the eeler, and filling' engaging teeth on the feeler, a portion of the teeth bein acute angled with their apexes toward t e butt of the fillingcarrier, and a *portion of the teeth being dull angled. i

10. A loom ha'vin in combination, a. lay, a filling carrier, an a fillingfeeler mechanism comprisina feeler, means for imparting@ .llingfteei engggeitng teeth?- on vthe fret-:lea:v a .the'g lli. havingtheirapexes d-` rected toward the butt oft e fillingcarrier, and a portion of the teeth having ,their a exea directed another vvay than toward` tlie butt ofthe filling carrier.' y

l 11. A loom' havin in combination, a lay, a filling carrier, an' afilling feeler mechanism including a feeler having two sections f carrier y ng movement-to' 'the' fessier-,4.,-

of filling engaging teeth, the teeth of one section extending beyond the teeth ofthe other section toward the filling carrier a dis tance equal to the depth of the strands of filling to be left on the filling carrier.

12. A. loom having, in combination, a lay, a filling carrier, and a lling feeler mecha -nism including a feeler and means for turning the feeler, said eeler having `filling engaging teeth, a. portion of said teeth having their sides sloping in the direction in which the feeler turning means acts, and a portion of said teeth having their sides sloping inv direction other than that in which the fceler turning means acts.

13. A loom having, in combination, a lay,

a filling carrier,a11d a filling feeler mecha nism comprising a stationary feeler support, a feelcr mounted directly thereon for reeiprocatory and pivotal movements, and means to impart a pivotal movement to the fceler, said means being .ineffective to swing the feeler before'engagement of the feeler with the filling carrier, and being effective to swing the feeler when the latter is carried forward by the filling carrier and the filling has been exhausted to a. predetermined extent. p

14. A loom having, in combination, a lay, a filling carrier, and a filling feeler mechanism comprising a stationary feeler support,

a fecler mounted thereon` for reciprocatory and pivotal movements, a guide pin fixed on the support for engaging and controlling the movements of the feeler, means tending to hold the feeler in normal position toward the filling carrier, and means tending to imart a plvotal movement to the fee er, said atter means being ineffective until the feelerhas been carried forward by the filling car' rier and the filling thereon has been exhausted to a predetermined extent.

15. A loom having, in combination, a lay, a filling carrier, and a filling feeler mechanism comprising a stationary feeler support, a guide pin fixed thereon, a feeler 1n enn gagement. with the guide -pin adapted to have a forward movement by engagement with the filling carrier, means to impart amovement to the feeler in the opposite di-A rection, and means operating upon the forward movement of the feeler to impart a pivotal `movement to the feeler when theA fillin has been exhausted to a predetermine extent.

16. A loom having, in combination, a lay, a'filling carrier, and a filling feeler mechanism comprising a stationary feeler support, a guide pin fixed on the support, a feeler having a slot in engagement with the guide pin so that the feeler may have reciprocatory 'and pivotal movements, means tending to hold the feeler in normal posi tion toward the filling carrier, and means operating to impart a pivotal movement to the feeler after the feeler is moved forwardly and on critical exhaustion of filling.

17. A loom having, in combination, a lay, a filling carrier, and a filling feeler mechanism i comprising a stationary support, a guide pm fixed on the support, a feeler having a slot engaging the pin so that thc feeler may have movement toward and from the lay on a. straight line so long as the filling has not beenlexhausted to a predetermined extent, and means to impart a movement to the feeler other than on. the straight line when filling has been exhausted to a predetermined extent.

18. A loom having, in combination, a lay, a filling carrier,vand a filling feeler mecha nism comprising a stationary support, a feeler mounted directly thereon for movement forward on a straightline by the filling carrier, means to swing the feeler, and means to prevent the swinging of the feeler until it has been moved by the illingcarrier, whereupon said swinging movement is prevented by the filling until the latter has been exhausted to apredetermined extent.

19. A loom having, in combination, loom controlling devices, and a filling `feeler mechanism comprising 'a feeler support, a filling feeler having provision for reciprocatory and pivotal movements relatively t0 the feeler support, means fixed on the sup-` port for guiding the reciprocatory and pivotal movements of the filling feeler, means for imparting the` reciprocatorymovements lingdevices and the filling feeler.

JONAS NoRrHRoP@ 

